Indirect excitation of Er3+ in sol-gel hybrid films doped with an erbium complex

Transparent sol-gel hybrid films doped with erbium tris 8-hydroxyquinoline were prepared using methyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, and phenyltrimethoxysilane as precursors. We obtain a strong 1.53-mum Er3+ luminescence with a wide full width at half-maximum and no thermal quenching. Comparison of absorption of the film with the pump wavelength dependence of Er3+ luminescence intensity indicates the presence of an efficient indirect excitation path for Er3+ via organic ligands. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.